So like everything ever said about Wigan by an opposing fan then

FWIW I completely agree with the above statement. I hate seeing the anti Wigan bias on social. Prime example is people questioning why Peet was the the coach of the year -it was an obvious choice.

That being said, people are absolutely frothing at this and you have to admit that 90% of the anger is because he plays for Saints. The usual suspects, who seem to lose all rationale when it comes to Saints, are out in force.

I hate St Helens with every fibre of my being. This would still be a terrible decision if it was John Bateman or Liam Farrell. Firstly because it was a poor tackle and second because of the can of worms it now opens.

I said last week that Martin couldn't be allowed to get off from his ban (which was a joke decision in the first place) because of the ramifications for the sport and I stand by that this week. Expect there to be appeals and then 2nd appeals galore next season with experts turning up and lawyers looking at every single word used in the minutes for any form of contradiction/error. Not to mention players just pointing to this whenever they get banned for a chicken wing tackle that doesn't actually injure the player.

Maybe from Wiganers it’s partly because it’s Saints but across the game I feel Saints have a very good reputation and that hasn’t stopped people from all angles piling in. I’ve seen numerous players and officials from various Superleague and Championship clubs calling the decision a disgrace. It isn’t because it’s St Helens, it’s because it’s a disgrace. Saints fans themselves know that. They, like we all would, will take it but if they’re honest they know it’s a ban every single day of the week and they would be appalled if it was flipped and an opposition teams player got off.

Knowles only got 2 games because they want him available for the World Cup. Unfortunately to only give him two games, they needed to make out the act wasn’t hugely dangerous and it’s left them wide open to having to turn it over completely. It’s the biggest shambles I can ever recall in terms of a disciplinary outcome but the fact it’s come in 2022 feels inevitable.

You hide it well.

Or look at it another way.

Wigan beat Leeds, Bateman is banned for 3 games.

Wigan appeal and he is still banned for 3 games BUT the minutes say something like, it was a bad tackle with no regard for player safety but the game is fast paced and players sometimes end up making tackles they didn't intend to make.

Wigan appeal again and he gets off because the wording says he didn't intend to do it meaning it was an accident rather than a bad tackle with no regard for player safety.

Would that be ok?

I won't hide behind "I'm here for honest and open discussion with opposing fans" like your lot do you're right.

Spot on. I am amazed he has got off without a ban. I said soon as he did it that it was stupid and he would miss the final.

This week has highlighted just how incompetent the RFL are. They have been forced to overturn a decision based on their wording in the initial appeal hearing. Knowles has actually got off on a technicality; not because he isn't guilty of any wrongdoing. Saints have done what literally every other club would've done - they've spied an opportunity and taken it and have outsmarted the RFL (not hard I know.) People will call it cheating, immoral or whatever else but let's be blunt - every fan from every club would be made up if their club got one of their star players off a ban in the days leading up to the final.

Hopefully the shambolic nature of this week will kickstart some serious changes within the RFL and the disciplinary process in particular.

It was a joke mate, chill haha. I hate Wigan but am also capable of grown up discussion. The two things aren't mutually exclusive.

Me too, we just never get any on here

Absolutely.

Something HAS to change because as I said in my earlier post the can of worms opened here is massive.

Difference being that Atkin played on and completed the game. Sezer was knocked out cold and now misses a Grand Final. Is it right that the original decision was to only give Bateman one extra game than Knowles?

Is agree it's a poor tackle, but the added level of "it's Saints" makes it worse for some imo. There's no getting away from it. If it was rnd.1 and a guy from Toulouse, half the people wouldn't care half as much?

Why do you hate Saints with every fibre of hour being? Is it because they are successful, produce good players, bring loads of fans and have a rich history? You hate it when people hate on us for it and then do the same. Makes no sense. Personally I hate Hudds more. The bring nothing and add nothing to the sport. In fact, you could make a good argument that they are killing it.

100% correct.

The fact the process (and people involved) is now that inept that opposition fans are outraged with bans for other clubs players or in this case Saints fans can admit its farcical Knowles will play, just shows where we sit at the minute. This incident and the farce of the Bateman ban being used in games he’d have never played in (just as players used bans in reserve fixtures in Superleague this season) has to be the tipping point. If this continues next season, even a die hards like me is close to becoming that disillusioned with it all that I, at the very least, cut back on games I can be bothered attending. I’m going tomorrow, as I go to every final but I’ve never looked forward to one less. The past few days (and the season as a whole) has just left a bitter taste in the mouth.

Because they're our biggest rivals.

It's called sport